The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness, and Peace

Easy to listen too. Wisdom that everyone should review from time to time. More about forgiving others, than about forgiving oneself. But the application is in there. I found it enjoyable and something I could share with other people. As a christian I think he makes forgiveness more clear than I have heard in many a sermon.

Up front, I admit I love almost everything Jack Kornfield recorded. But this CD is very important for our modern world. "Forgiveness" is not going to be a hot topic or best seller, I suppose. Most people are more focused on punishing the people they're angry at. Yet Kornfield tells stories on the CD that touch my heart in powerful ways. I repeated a few for my friend, who's not into Buddhism or meditation, and he was so moved that he had to stop for a few minutes to think about how different the world would be if we had "temples of forgiveness" as Kornfield says. Kornfield includes a meditation on forgiveness and a meditation on lovingkindness (metta). I practice both daily, and my heart has opened more as a result.

Jack Kornfield has the voice of a deeply aware human being. It is extraordinary because you do not tire of hearing it. He exemplifies kindness. He demonstrates love. His compassion leaps off the page and into your heart. Energy is transmitted from the author to the reader in a very intentional and direct way. The uniqueness of The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness, and Peace is not so much in the message, but more in the artful way that the message is organized and presented. Kornfield is highly selective about his choice of material. He is very deliberate about the slow and mindful pace that it is relayed. And he is masterful at communicating in a cohesive, well honed way. The end result is a powerful and persuasive reading experience. The spiritual reviewer (a/k/a Karen Bentley) gives this book an overall score of 8.5 on a scale of 10, which is very high and designates this book as a "classic." This book is a pleasure to read and a pleasure to recommend.

The older I become the simpler life seems. I've read Jack's work, though I haven't read this book yet. I'm fortunate to live in a community very close to the lovely San Geronimo vallery where Spirit Rock Meditation Center is located. I see Jack quite regularly standing with friends on a San Anselmo street corner Saturdays, offering witness of his commitment to peace and justice. The times I've heard him speak at Spirit Rock and elsewhere I was deeply touched by his simple humanity.Learning to forgive, to treat others in our lives with loving kindness, as we cultivate peace...what more is there to realize in this human journey? There will always be what a teacher of mine once called "cookies for the mind." Jack offers something far more profound as he supports us in coming to each moment with our hearts open. This is what I hope to do with the remaining years of my life. It is comforting to share the journey with others who understand what is truly important. Jack Kornfield is surely one of them. Thank you Jack for sharing with us the wisdom you've come to.

This book is short yet profound. No wasted words. Each phrase is a short lesson to meditate on, full of meaning. There are modern quotes as well as ancient. A favorite was by Ben Franklin: "Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame". I was attracted to this book by its brevity and the resonance of the words.